Cupboard monitoring device

ABSTRACT

The invention relates to a cupboard monitoring device, for fitting in a cupboard ( 20 ), comprising a rack or a rack-like folded structure and for monitoring and control of functions affecting the cupboard itself, including a temperature monitoring and a temperature regulation, by means of a monitoring unit, arranged within a housing, comprising a housing upper piece ( 1.1 ) and housing lower piece ( 1.2 ), with connected sensors ( 3.1, 3.2, 3.3, 3.4, 4, 5.1, 5.2, 6 ). An advantageous equipping of a cupboard with the cupboard monitoring device can be achieved whereby the housing is embodied as a roof unit ( 1 ), with fixing holes arranged in the boundary region thereof for connection to the rack or the rack-like folded structure, whereby at least one part of the sensors ( 3.1, 3.2 ,3.3, 3.4, 4., 5.1, 5.2, 6 ) are arranged on the underside of the housing lower piece ( 1.2 ), facing the cupboard interior.

[0001] The invention relates to a cabinet monitoring device for installation in a cabinet having a rack or frame-like edges for the purpose of monitoring and controlling functions regarding the cabinet, network cabinet or server cabinet itself, including temperature monitoring and temperature regulation, having a monitoring unit and sensors connected thereto, arranged in a housing with an upper housing element and a lower housing element.

[0002] A cabinet monitoring device of this type is disclosed in WO 97/34345. In this known cabinet monitoring device, various sensors, for example temperature sensors, vibration sensors, smoke detectors, humidity sensors, voltage sensors, door limit stop switches, and the like, as well as actuators and data transmission connections with external operating devices, are connected or can be connected via input and output interfaces to a central control device with a processor or microcontroller. Various components, such as a cooling device, exhaust fan or heater with appropriate control and regulating components can be provided for temperature regulation. The monitoring device has a flat housing of the height of, for example, two height units, which can be installed in the cabinet, and on its back and/or front side it has connector sockets for the sensors, actuators and the data transmission connections to the external operating device. A retrofitting of such a cabinet monitoring device in a switchgear cabinet can be particularly connected with considerable outlay.

[0003] The object of the invention is based on making available a cabinet monitoring device of the type mentioned at the outset, which also allows a later integration into a cabinet possible.

[0004] This object is attained by means of the characteristics of claim 1. In accordance therewith it is provided, that the housing is embodied as a roofunit with fastening receivers provided in its edge areas for connection with the rack or the frame-like edges, wherein at least a part of the sensors is arranged on the underside of the lower housing element facing the cabinet interior.

[0005] By means of these steps it is possible in a simple way to retrofit the cabinet, for example a switchgear cabinet, network cabinet or server cabinet, with a cabinet monitoring device, wherein the cabinet interior, which has possibly already been provided with installations by the user, remains completely usable and wiring is minimized, since sensors necessary for the functioning of the cabinet are already arranged in a suitable way on the roof unit.

[0006] In this case an advantageous embodiment lies in that at least one exhaust fan is installed in at least one opening on the lower housing element, and in its or their vicinity a smoke detector. Smoke possibly being generated in the cabinet interior is conducted into the range of the smoke detector by means of the exhaust fans, which are provided anyway for cooling and are advantageously arranged, so that the sensor dependably reacts.

[0007] A further advantageous embodiment lies in that an access sensor is arranged in at least one front edge area of the underside of the roof unit which, in the installed state, is in operative contact with a facing upper edge section of a front door, a rear door or the rear wall or side wall, which have or constitute themselves a complementary element. A definite solid connection, without the need for connecting or placing additional cables outside of the housing, also results for the access sensors, which can also be arranged on the sides or rear edge areas in addition to the edge area at the front. If embodied as a magnetic sensor, for example on the basis of a reed relay, an accurate positional relationship with the counter-element, or an appropriately embodied edge section, of the adjacent door or wall is assured.

[0008] If it is provided that connector sockets for a locking control unit for the front door and/or the rear door and/or for additional units and/or for an electrical power supply are installed in an area in a rear and/or side edge area and/or a front/side corner area of the underside of the roof unit, which is accessible in the installed state, it is easily possible to connect at least on locking control unit with a card reader, for example, or other identification unit and possibly an actuator unit, as well as additional sensors, such as temperature sensors in a heat pocket which must be particularly monitored, or additional humidity sensors, or the like.

[0009] An unimpeded guidance and connection of the cables for the connected additional elements, or locking control units, becomes possible because of the measures, wherein the connector sockets for the additional units and the electrical power supply are arranged in the rear edge area, those for the locking control unit of the rear door in a rear/side corner area on a locking side, and/or those for the locking control unit of the front door in a front/side corner area on a locking side.

[0010] The construction as a prefabricated unit is aided in that the sensors arranged on the underside of the roof unit are connected in the interior of the roof unit to a circuit panel of the monitoring unit mounted on the top of the lower housing element.

[0011] The structure of the housing is advantageously provided in such a way that the lower housing element is embodied as a flat mounting plate and that the upper housing element is provided with edges, which are oriented downward at right angles, on the front, the rear and in the side areas, whose lower edges are tightly connected with the lower housing element.

[0012] An advantageous control possibility for an operator results in that a display unit is installed in the front edge.

[0013] An advantageous embodiment for the automatic checking of an additional authorization consists in that a transponder is arranged at the front edge.

[0014] Access takes place, for example, by means of a master key, or by means of SNMP (network) or via other reading systems.

[0015] An advantageous embodiment of a cabinet results in that it is equipped with a cabinet monitoring device of the above described type. With a cabinet already equipped with a conventional roof it is merely required to take it off and replace it with the roof unit of the cabinet monitoring device, wherein the fastening points remain the same.

[0016] The invention will be explained in greater detail in what follows by means of an exemplary embodiment and by making reference to the drawings. Shown are in:

[0017]FIG. 1, a perspective schematic view of a cabinet monitoring device, and

[0018]FIG. 2, a cabinet equipped with such a cabinet monitoring device.

[0019] A cabinet monitoring device represented in FIG. 1 has, as its central element, a roof unit 1 with an upper housing element 1.1 and with a lower housing element 1.2, which covers it on the underside, in which a monitoring unit with an electronic circuit located on a circuit panel is arranged.

[0020] Various sensors, which are connected on the top of the lower housing unit 1.2 with the electronic circuit constituting a control unit for monitoring and controlling cabinet functions in accordance with appropriately predetermined or predeterminable, in particular programmable parameters, are mounted on the underside of the lower housing unit 1.2, which is embodied as a flat mounting panel, and are oriented in the installed state toward the interior of the cabinet 20 (see FIG. 2). Reference is made to WO 97/34345 mentioned at the outset regarding the details of the cabinet functions which can be monitored and controlled. Corresponding functions can also be partially or entirely provided by means of the present cabinet monitoring device.

[0021] An access sensor 3.1 for a rear door or rear wall, access sensors 3.2, 3.4 for the two side walls, as well as an access sensor 3.3 for a front door are arranged on the housing underside at the front, side and rear edge areas, which are designed as magnetic sensors, for example on the basis of a reed relay, and work together with complementary elements or sections arranged in the upper area at corresponding locations of the rear door, side walls and front door 21 for detecting the removal of a side wall or opening of a door. Connector sockets 2.1 for an additional temperature sensor, 2.2 for an additional humidity sensor, 2.3 for a further sensor or a data transmission connection to an auxiliary device or a electrical power supply, and 2.4 for an additional electrical power supply, or an electrical power supply monitoring device, i.e. for additional units 2, are installed in the rear edge area of the underside of the roof unit 1.

[0022] Moreover, an exhaust fan 7.1 and, spaced apart from it, a further exhaust fan 7.2, and a smoke detector 6 between them, have been installed on the underside of the lower housing element 1.2. Smoke, which might be generated in the cabinet 20, is brought into the range of the smoke detector 6 by the exhaust fans 7.1, 7.2, so that the creation of smoke can be dependably detected by it. By means of a temperature sensor 4, also mounted on the underside of the lower housing element 1.2, the interior cabinet temperature, in particular the general temperature, can be dependably detected and, if a threshold temperature is exceeded, the temperature can be reduced by triggering the controlled exhaust fans 7.1, 7.2 and/or another or additional cooling unit.

[0023] Further connector sockets for connecting locking control units 5.1, 5.2 for the front door 21, or a rear door, are arranged in a side/rear and a side/front corner area, wherein the corner areas are located above the closing sides of the doors, so that an unimpeded, as short as possible cable connection from the closing control units 5.1, 5.2 to the associated connector sockets is achieved. The locking control units 5.1, 5.2 can for example have a card reader or other identification unit, and can also be provided with an actuating unit, which can be addressed by the control unit. Furthermore, a connector socket 9 for a read-out connector, for example for reading out data stored in the control unit, is arranged in a front lateral corner area, and is also easily accessible from the front in case of installations in the front door.

[0024] Moreover, a connector 12 for an electrical power supply with a wide range of supply voltages of, for example 100 to 230 V, is arranged on the underside of the lower housing element 1.2, while a power supply 8 for providing the electronic circuit, and if required the sensors, with voltage is arranged in the roof unit 1 on the top of the lower housing element 1.2.

[0025] On the front, rear and in both lateral areas, the upper housing element is provided with an edge, which is oriented downward at right angles. A display unit 10, for example with a fluorescent display, is installed in the front edge, by means of which essential information can be displayed to an operator on the outside of the cabinet without it being necessary to open the cabinet. A transponder 11 is furthermore arranged in the front edge, by means of which an access authorization of a user can be automatically checked.

[0026] On its underside, the roof unit 1 has fastening points for its attachment to the top of a frame, or frame-like edge of the cabinet 20, which advantageously correspond to the fastening points of a simple covering roof, so that it can be attached in place of a simple covering roof, or can be exchanged for it. In this case the lower housing element 12 can be attached in a sealed manner to the frame, or the frame-like edge, while the upper housing element 1.1 itself can be attached in a sealed manner to the lower housing element 1.2.

[0027] Still further suitable sensors, such as further temperature sensors, humidity sensors or vibration sensors can be arranged in the roof unit 1, in particular on the lower housing element 1.2. It is advantageous to provide suitable cable guides and cable support possibilities for the cables used for connecting the additional units 2, or of an electrical power supply connector. All plugs for additional units 2, or further additional elements to be connected to the roof unit 1 are easily accessible from the cabinet interior.

[0028] A cabinet monitoring device is made available by means of the described steps, with which a reduction of cables and simple connecting options, a simple assembly and simple retrofitting can be achieved, while the cabinet interior is fully usable. 

1. A cabinet monitoring device for installation in a cabinet (20) having a rack or frame-like edges for the purpose of monitoring and controlling functions regarding the cabinet (20), including temperature monitoring and temperature regulation, having a monitoring unit and sensors (3.1, 3.2, 3.3, 3.4, 4, 5.1 5.2, 6) connected thereto, arranged in a housing with an upper housing element (1.1) and a lower housing element (1.2), characterized in that the housing is embodied as a roof unit (1) with fastening receivers provided in its edge areas for connection with the rack or the frame-like edges, wherein at least a part of the sensors (3.1, 3.2, 3.3, 3.4,4, 5.1 5.2, 6) is arranged on the underside of the lower housing element (1.2) facing the cabinet interior.
 2. The cabinet monitoring device in accordance with claim 1, characterized in that at least one exhaust fan (7.1, 7.2) is installed in at least one opening on the lower housing element (1.2), and in its or their vicinity a smoke detector (6).
 3. The cabinet monitoring device in accordance with claim 1 or 2, characterized in that an access sensor (3.3) is arranged in at least one front edge area of the underside of the roof unit (1) which, in the installed state, is in operative contact with a facing upper edge section of a front door (2.1), a rear door or the rear wall or side wall, which have or constitute themselves a complementary element.
 4. The cabinet monitoring device in accordance with one of the preceding claims, characterized in that connector sockets (21 to 2.4, 9, 12) for a locking control unit (5.1, 5.2) for the front door (21) and/or the rear door and/or for additional units (2) and/or for an electrical power supply are installed in an area in a rear and/or side edge area and/or a front/side and or rear/side corner area of the underside of the roof unit (1), which is accessible in the installed state.
 5. The cabinet monitoring device in accordance with claim 4, characterized in that the connector sockets (2.1 to 2.4, 12) for the additional units (2) and the electrical power supply are arranged in the rear edge area, those for the locking control unit (5.2) of the rear door in a rear/side corner area on a locking side, and/or those for the locking control unit (5.1) of the front door in a front/side corner area on a locking side.
 6. The cabinet monitoring device in accordance with one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the sensors (3.1 to 3.4, 4, 6) arranged on the underside of the roof unit (1) are connected in the interior of the roof unit (1) to a circuit panel of the monitoring unit mounted on the top of the lower housing element (1.2).
 7. The cabinet monitoring device in accordance with one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the lower housing element (1.2) is embodied as a flat mounting plate and that the upper housing element (1.1) is provided with edges, which are oriented downward at right angles, on the front, the rear and in the side areas, whose lower edges are tightly connected with the lower housing element (1.2).
 8. The cabinet monitoring device in accordance with claim 7, characterized in that a display unit (10) is installed in the front edge.
 9. The cabinet monitoring device in accordance with claim 7 or 8, characterized in that a transponder (11) is arranged at the front edge.
 10. A cabinet which is provided with a cabinet monitoring device in accordance with one of the preceding claims. 